The present disclosure relates generally to videoconferencing systems, and more particularly, to facilitating multi-party conferences, including dynamically allocating the resources needed for the conference, while establishing connections with participants.
Audio and/or video conferencing technology has developed to the point that it has become, in many cases, a useful substitute for conducting group meetings in a variety of environments. Audio and/or video conferencing entails the exchange of audio, video, and other information between at least two participants that are generally remotely located to one another. An endpoint is provided at each participant location to enable the participants to see or hear each other, or both. The endpoint may include a microphone for capturing audio signals from local participants and a speaker for converting audio signals received from the remote participants into sound. The endpoint may optionally include a camera for capturing video of local participants and a display device for displaying video of remote participants. The endpoint may also include display devices for displaying digital content. Where more than two endpoints participate in a conferencing session, a multipoint control unit (MCU) may be used to control the conference. The MCU may receive audio, video, and data from one or more endpoints, and then transmit the audio, video, and data to the appropriate endpoints, via a network.
Historically, these multi-party conferences, whether audio or video, or both, have taken one of two forms: scheduled or ad hoc. Typically when scheduling a conference, a start time and an end time are provided. The number of conference participants is often provided, and optionally, the identities of the participants may be provided. Participants may be provided with contact information, such as a telephone number or web address (URL), so that they may contact and join the conference. Depending upon the subject matter of the conference, participants may be given and/or need to provide appropriate credentials and passcode to authenticate their identity to gain access to the conference.
When the conference is scheduled, it may be determined if participants are to contact the conference, known in the art as “dial-in,” or await to be contacted by an organizer, or organizers, of the conference known as “dial-out.” Also resources required to effectuate the conference are often reserved at the time the conference is scheduled. These resources may include MCUs, conference bridges, dial-out telecommunication lines, and other known resources. Additionally, if the scheduled conference is going to be a recurring conference, recurrence information can be provided at the time the conference is scheduled.
As compared to scheduled conferences, ad hoc conferences, known in the art as “reservationless” conferences, may occur at any time. In reservationless conferences, the number of conference participants and their identities is typically not provided and whether the participant is a dial-in or dial-out participant, may be specified for each participant. However, participants in reservationless conferences are typically provided with persistent contact information, such as a telephone number or web address (URL), so that they may contact and join the conference at any given time. Depending upon the subject matter of the conference, participants may be given and/or need to provide appropriate credentials and passcode to authenticate their identity to gain access to the conference.
Contrary to scheduled conferences, the resources required to effectuate a reservationless conference are not reserved, since the conference is not scheduled. Thus, some participants may not be able to join the reservationless conference, since available resources may be exhausted. Optionally, it is sometimes possible to allocate resources as individual participants connect to the reservationless conference.
Frequently, it would be convenient to have a dial-out conference on a short notice. Neither type of traditional conference handles this situation well. Ad hoc conferences do not support automatic dial-out, although some may support a user portal allowing a manual dial-out. Such a portal is useful, provided that the conference initiator and/or chairperson has access to such a portal when they need to have the conference. Often, this is not the case. Alternatively, scheduled conferences do provide automatic dial-out, but they do not permit efficient unscheduled use. Thus, what is needed is a new conference type.